Dice string with "macros" exist already?

[celestian]

So I'm beginning to hack at a part of the 5e ruleset that has been something I've been asked about a lot and that is dice strings with "macros", specifically things like damage for spells based on level of caster. So instead of having to adjust the spells damage when you level it will automatically do it for something like fireball with "LVLd6" damage string.

Has any other ruleset or extension done this sorta thing before? I'm curious how it was handled and the UI portion. Wanting to see what worked and what didn't.

Right now I'm looking at having a toggle for Dice or Text "mode" for the spell. I "store" the "ArcaneLevel" or "DivineLevel" as the character levels up so depending on the type I'll replace the "LVL" or "Level" with the level for that type of spell.

Sorta like this.



And the "Text" version looks like this.



Eventually I plan to do the same thing for duration.

[Trenloe]

Have a look at spell actions for 3.5E/PF - there are some adjustments based of CL (Caster Level).

[Bidmaron]

If part of your question involves the input mechanism for dice:
I am doing that in the Generators extension. I could not figure out a way through the interface to get a mixture of dice in the drag, so I have a text field where you can enter a dice expression (e.g. 2d2+3d4+5, for a ridiculous example). To do this, I overrode the onClick on the existing dice field (which was just a drop zone for dice) so it invoked my own string field to enter the dice. This is the template necessary for the dice entry:

	<template name="dice_input_string">
		<stringcontrol>
			<anchored to="dice" position="over"  />
			<script>
				local aSaveDice;
				function onGainFocus()
					if aSaveDice then
						return;
					end
					local nodeWindow=window.getDatabaseNode();
					aSaveDice=DB.getValue(nodeWindow,"dice",{});
					if #aSaveDice~=0 then
						local sDice=StringManager.convertDiceToString(aSaveDice);
						setValue(sDice);
					end
					TableManager.setRollGuard(true);
					DB.setValue(nodeWindow,"dice","dice",{});
					TableManager.setRollGuard(true);
				end
				function onLoseFocus()
					if StringManager.trim(getValue())=="" then
						TableManager.setRollGuard(true);
						DB.setValue(nodeWindow,"dice",aSaveDice);
						TableManager.setRollGuard(false);
						destroy();
					elseif textOK() then
						local aDice, nMod = StringManager.convertStringToDice(getValue());
						local nodeWindow=window.getDatabaseNode();
						TableManager.setRollGuard(true);
						DB.setValue(nodeWindow,"dice","dice",aDice);
						TableManager.setRollGuard(false);
						DB.setValue(nodeWindow,"mod","number",nMod);
						destroy();
					else
						setFocus();
					end
				end
				function textOK()
					if StringManager.isDiceMathString(getValue()) then
						return true;
					else
						TableManager.notifyError("error_gen_bad_dice");
						return false;
					end
				end
			</script>
		</stringcontrol>
	</template>

Here is the modification to the existing dice drop zone: (note that I use join=merge in the parent window so that my modified "dice" inherits everything except the below stuff from the CoreRPG ruleset)

			<basicdice name="dice">
				<script>
					function onClickDown(button,x,y)
						return true;
					end
					function onClickRelease(button,x,y)
						window.createControl("dice_input_string","user_dice_input");
						window.user_dice_input.setFocus();
						return true;
					end
				</script>
			</basicdice>

So, when the user clicks and releases, the code adds a new control that is the dice input string. Once that control loses focus, it updates the database field and destroys itself. The original dice control picks up the database update through its own handler and updates the dice content of that control. Note that the calls to TableManager are my own code. One of them is a semaphore to prevent infinite looping associated with update events (SetRollGuard), and the other handles displaying an error message. You would need to put your own stuff in there for mine.

[celestian]

Have a look at spell actions for 3.5E/PF - there are some adjustments based of CL (Caster Level).

That is exactly what I was looking for. Much more mechanical input with less dependence on "formatting" knowledge to make it work. Even deals with "max" size. I like it a lot.

If part of your question involves the input mechanism for dice:
I am doing that in the Generators extension. I could not figure out a way through the interface to get a mixture of dice in the drag, so I have a text field where you can enter a dice expression (e.g. 2d2+3d4+5, for a ridiculous example). To do this, I overrode the onClick on the existing dice field (which was just a drop zone for dice) so it invoked my own string field to enter the dice.

So, when the user clicks and releases, the code adds a new control that is the dice input string. Once that control loses focus, it updates the database field and destroys itself. The original dice control picks up the database update through its own handler and updates the dice content of that control. Note that the calls to TableManager are my own code. One of them is a semaphore to prevent infinite looping associated with update events (SetRollGuard), and the other handles displaying an error message. You would need to put your own stuff in there for mine.

Thanks Bidmaron. I'll review the code and see how I might be able to use it.

[celestian]

This seems to somewhat match the PF/3.5 e version and meets the needs of AD&D.

[Bidmaron]

As long as all you want is a set of dice of the form xdy, where x is number of dice and y is sides, that will work. The code I posted lets you do arbitrarily complex dice expressions (not really sure when you would need them though honestly for this.)

[dulux-oz]

Just out of interest - you guys do know that a lot of this has already been done (no, not all of it, but a hell of a lot) with the UDR (Universal Die Roller) in the new DORCore Ruleset - don't you?

[Bidmaron]

Dulux, can you (meaning me) change the inheritance of PF or another nested ruleset to include DORCore? Sounds dangerous.

[dulux-oz]

Dulux, can you (meaning me) change the inheritance of PF or another nested ruleset to include DORCore? Sounds dangerous.

You could try it - with a new campaign, obviously - but I'm not sure what will break (if anything).

You actually have two options:

1. Change the DORCore to be a child of PF, or
2. Change the 3.5E to be a child of DORCore - as the DORCore was designed to be at a "low-level" in the Ruleset-Stack this is what I'd be looking at, BUT it hasn't been tested (primarily because I'm not arrogant enough to believe that SW would change the Ruleset-Stack for their "official" Rulesets - I'm arrogant, yes, but not THAT arrogant )

In either case, my expectation straight off the bat is that "something" will break - but yes, it can be done.

As a side-note, my vision for the DORCore was for all of the Community Ruleset Devs to consider it for their Ruleset-Stack for new (or newly-ported) Rulesets. All of my Community Rulesets, for example, use the DORCore as the basis on which to build their own Rules. What I had not considered was people might want to "slip it into" the Ruleset-Stack of SW's "offical" Rulesets - however, if people want to try then the Ruleset-Stack should run CoreRPG=>DORCore=>"offical" Ruleset.

[damned]

You could try it - with a new campaign, obviously - but I'm not sure what will break (if anything).

You actually have two options:

1. Change the DORCore to be a child of PF, or
2. Change the 3.5E to be a child of DORCore - as the DORCore was designed to be at a "low-level" in the Ruleset-Stack this is what I'd be looking at, BUT it hasn't been tested (primarily because I'm not arrogant enough to believe that SW would change the Ruleset-Stack for their "official" Rulesets - I'm arrogant, yes, but not THAT arrogant )

In either case, my expectation straight off the bat is that "something" will break - but yes, it can be done.

As a side-note, my vision for the DORCore was for all of the Community Ruleset Devs to consider it for their Ruleset-Stack for new (or newly-ported) Rulesets. All of my Community Rulesets, for example, use the DORCore as the basis on which to build their own Rules. What I had not considered was people might want to "slip it into" the Ruleset-Stack of SW's "offical" Rulesets - however, if people want to try then the Ruleset-Stack should run CoreRPG=>DORCore=>"offical" Ruleset.

DORCore breaks stuff even on a simple ruleset like MoreCore.
The Universal Dice Roller you have coded Dulux_Oz is awesome but it isnt really what this is looking to do.